Post-operative Respiratory Distress Due to Laryngeal Granuloma and Subglottic Stenosis in a Patient Undergoing Open Heart Surgery

Abstract

The cause of impairment in respiratory functions after open heart surgery is multifactorial. A 67-year-old female patient admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was intubated after mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty. She was extubated on the first post-operative (post-op) day. On post-op day 5, the patient was re-admitted to the ICU due to respiratory distress and tachypnea. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) support and dobutamine 5 mcg/kg/min were started. Prior to diagnosis of septic shock, tazocin 3x4.5 grams was administered. The patient was intubated on the post-op day 6 because of the increase in respiratory distress. She was extubated on the post-op day 7, and NIMV commenced. On the 8th post-op day, she was consulted to the ear, nose and throat (ENT) department because of sore throat. Widespread mucosal aphthous lesions were observed in the uvula, soft and hard palate, mandible inner mucosa and alveolar process. Galactomannan was detected positive in bronchoalveolar lavage and treatment with fluconozole started. On post-op day 15, the patient was discharged. That same night, she was admitted to the ICU again due to sudden respiratory distress and was placed on NIMV support, but the patient whose respiratory distress increased and was unconscious was intubated. The next day, direct laryngoscopy was performed by the ENT department under operating room conditions, and a 3x4 cm polypoid lesion was removed from the vocal cord level. However, after 2 days, the patient was re-examined by direct laryngoscopy, necrotic crusts were removed under the cricoid cartilage posteriorly in the subglottic region. The patient recovered from post-op respiratory distress, was extubated on the 18th post-op day and his support with NIMV continued. The patient was discharged on the 33rd post-op day. Laryngeal granuloma and subglottic strictures should be considered in patients with post-op respiratory distress, no matter how short the intubation period is.